If you are not on your phone right now, your teenager is probably making up for it. According to a 2019 Pew Research Center study, 95 percent of teenagers have access to a smartphone, with 45 percent adding that they are almost constantly on the Internet. The average kid spends about 6.5 hours a day looking at screens, which can harm academics, family life, and mental health. Schools across the country, including Luxemburg-Casco Middle School, are banning the use of personal devices during the school day as a result. “Screenagers” refers to not just the students growing up in the digital age, but to a trio of documentaries about the subject that will be shown at upcoming Parent Café events hosted by the Door County Partnership for Children and Families. Community Impact Coordinator Chad Welch says the battle between kids and their screens is a big concern for many families.

The Parent Café will take place at Sevastopol School on January 9th from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Welch says they will screen “Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age” in January and “Screenagers Next Chapter: Addressing Youth Mental Health in the Digital Age” in February. In March, Sturgeon Bay Police Officer Chad Mielke will give his take on the subject as he helps parents understand the social media outlets their kids may be using.